Heat Pumps Vs. Furnaces For Heating

December 24, 2015
By
Canoga Park Heating & Air Conditioning

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Has the time come to choose a new heating system for your home? Chances
are, you will need to decide between a furnace and a heat pump. Almost
all American homes use one of these two systems, and while both work well
they also have many differences. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages
of each system will help you to choose the very best heating equipment
for your home.

Fuel And Power

Furnaces get their energy from either electricity or fossil fuels such
as natural gas, oil or propane. Urban homes use electricity or natural
gas (provided by utility companies), while homeowners outside the utility
supply range may opt for tanks of oil or propane. Any kind of fuel-based
furnace comes with a small risk of carbon monoxide exposure and of fuel
ignition resulting in a fire or explosion.

Heat pumps run on standard residential electrical power. Since they do
not run on fuel, they produce no carbon monoxide (which is a byproduct
of fuel combustion) and have no risk of ignition.

How They Work

Furnace systems use thermostats to detect the indoor temperature of a home
and turn the furnace on the temperature falls below a set level. The system
either turns on or ignites to produce heat, and fans blow the heat through
the ductwork system of the house and out the vents.

Heat pumps heat or cool homes by transferring refrigerant between two sets
of copper coils, one indoors and one outdoors. To heat a home, the refrigerant
is evaporated in the outdoor coils and transferred to the indoor unit.
The refrigerant condenses as it travels, releasing heat into the home.

Energy And Cost Efficiency

Both furnace and heat pumps systems can be very energy and cost efficient.
However, in general, heat pumps systems are a bit more economical and
energy efficient than furnaces.

Heat pump efficiency is measured by the Heating seasonal Performance Factor
(HSPF). The minimum rating a heat pump must meet is 7.7, and a system
with an 8.2 rating or higher is considered high-efficiency. Some heat
pumps have a rating as high as 9.35.

The efficiency of a furnace is measured by its Annual Fuel Utilization
Efficiency (AFUE) number. The number corresponds to the percentage of
fuel energy that is transformed into heat. Fossil fuel furnaces must have
a minimum AFUE of 78, and high-efficiency systems often have an AFUE number
of 90 or higher. Electric furnaces boast average numbers of 95 or higher;
however, the cost of running an electric furnace is generally a bit higher
than the cost of running a natural gas furnace.

Climate Factors

Both furnaces and heat pumps can run in any climate, but heat pump efficiency
drops significantly when temperatures fall below freezing. When heat pumps
can no longer extract heat from the outside air, they switch to back-up
electric coils, which drastically inflate the cost of running the system.

Home Heating Experts

If you’re looking for help choosing the right heating system for
your home, our experts at Canoga Park Heating and Air Conditioning are
here for you! Call us now to set up an appointment with one of our home
heating experts.